


Summer After Summer After Summer

by GFjuju



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: AU, Angst, F/M, Fluff, GF, Gets sadder, Returning to Gravity Falls, TeenDipper, death at the end, teen Mabel, than gets happier
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-05
Updated: 2016-07-05
Packaged: 2018-06-06 05:28:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6740320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GFjuju/pseuds/GFjuju
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"As she looked at her new family, her despair changed to anger in a second.  It would all be taken away from her.  One week.  One week and the greatest summer she ever had would be a lifetime for him, and nothing but a memory for her."</p><p>A story in which Dipper chooses to stay in Gravity Falls with Ford, and Mabel goes back home to Piedmont. Mabel comes back every summer, and Stan stays at the Shack, but continues to disagree with Ford. This shows every summer Mabel comes, as Dipper drifts off because of his mystery hunting. Sibling separation ensues.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> The next chapter will be funnier. This is my first fanfic! I plan to update more this weekend. Please enjoy! Or don't

"Mabel, this is a huge opportunity for me-"

"Well it's a horrible opportunity for me!" Mabel cried. Tears welled up in her eyes as she ran to her scrapbook and tore it open. The fact that she was so upset made Dipper's heart shatter. He was worried about Mabel, and loved her, but couldn't watch her so upset over his dream. "I just wish summer could last forever" she said. She plopped onto the floor and opened her book. Dozens of memories flooded her mind. Stan, Soos, Wendy, everyone painted a landscape in her mind, ghosts chasing, dinosaurs flying, a sunset over a lake. Four forever friends holding fish and cringing over 1001 Yuk-Em-Ups. As she looked at her new family, her despair changed to anger in a second. It would all be taken away from her. One week. One week and the greatest summer she ever had would be a lifetime for him, and nothing but a memory for her.

Awkwardly, Dipper sat next to Mabel on the floor, on the splintery wood floor boards that had grown soft due to the twins rambunctious golf playing. "But it can't, Mabel. Things aren't going to stay frozen this way. Things change, summer ends..."

Mabel looked up at Dipper's desperate face. She knew he was trying to comfort her, but deep down, she knew he wanted this, more than anything. She wanted to run. She wanted to grab her backpack full of party chocolate and useless party invitations and run until she couldn't run anymore. Jump into the bottomless pit, ride off on a unicorn, make a deal with Bill, anything to keep her brother safe with her.

But Dipper deserved better. He deserved to travel the world and earn millions of dollars. He deserved to become an explorer and raid caves for booby traps and fight off monsters guarding treasures. He deserved to live a life of adventure, never look back, never worry about his sister catching up. He deserved hundreds of friends who didn't make fun of his birthmark or clumsiness or lack of whatever Mabel had. He deserved to be happy, and he wasn't at home. She couldn't make him if she tried.

So instead of running out the door, she ran down the hallway. Dipper looked up, shocked by her outburst and worried of what she would do. 

The room was still for a moment. Nothing but Dipper's innocent figure, the soft feedback of the walkie-talkie in the corner, and the large triangle window, forever haunting him with its golden light seeping through, reminding him that the demon is watching him.

She ran back in, with her big pig in her arms. She placed him on the floor, and scooted him towards Dipper. Choking on her tears, she whispered,

"Take care of Waddles-"

Dipper jumped over the pig, straight to his sister. "Thank you. I promise." Dipper whispered as he wrapped his arms around his crying sister. And they just sat there in a sincere sibling hug, on the memory stained wood in the room that was no longer hers.


	2. Welcome Back???

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mabel comes back the next summer. I don't know what else to say...
> 
> The references are all there, sorry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy! I'll try and get a new chapter (or 2) out this weekend! If you like it so far, leave comments, critiques and stick around for more!

_June, 2013: Age 13_

 

Mabel chewed on a glitter covered pen (DIY, of course) and stared at the stupid crossword puzzle she was forced to do.  She picked up her phone, waiting for it to charge, but it wouldn't. 

She smiled to herself and looked at her phone case.  Dipper had bought it for her for Christmas.  She saw it in the mall one day, and almost died of laughter.  It was a bedazzled gnome puking rainbows.  She almost knocked the whole display case over, fumbling over thoughts as to who made this case! She sent a picture of it to Dipper saying,

_omg they KNEW :DDD_

To which Dippingdots responded,

_hmm looks familiar :P :)_

Mabel loved every minute of that convo.  Anyway, Dipper had spent winter break with her in Piedmont, CA.  They wanted to stay at the Shack, but their parents insisted.  But as long as they were together, Mabel was happy.  And she wasn't ever happier than when she was with her broseph.

She hadn't seen him since then.

Suddenly, the bus hit a bump in the road.  Mabel nearly choked of her pen.  Violently and dramatically coughing, she turned around to see what they had hit.  It was a crack in the road, poorly paved over, that was made by zombies last year.  They must be close!

Mabel remembered that karaoke party like she was there.  Ahh good times.

The next time she looked up, she saw the water tower with "The Big Muffin", then she thought she saw a manotaur hiding behind a tree.  When she saw the "Mystery Hack" sign peeking out from the trees, she practically screamed.

Her grand castle appeared before her.  The busted up sign, the dirt path, trampled by tour after tour, the friendly triangles that littered the design.  To others, it may look run down.  But Mabel was not others.

As soon as the bus stopped, she jumped up and tried to run down the aisle, only to trip over her suitcase and faceplant.  After recovering, she ran out the door.

The air smelled amazing.  A mix of pine, wind, barbecue, and unicorn poop, just the way she liked it.  She had to close her eyes for a second and feel it.  After remembering to tip the bus driver, she squinted into the distance to see 2 silhouettes, one big one, and one similar to hers, bent over a large poster.

Dipper looked up, hearing the sound of a suitcase's wheels and sneakers that light up and beep. 

"Soos! Soos she's here!" he whispered frantically, urging him to finish the poster.

"Alright, alright! You can't rush my artistic awesomeness-" Soos exclaimed, but Dipper didn't let him finish the sentence because he grabbed the poster and ran.

Dipper had changed a bit over the year.  He kept his signature hat, but he had grown an extra millimeter (to Mabel's disappointment).  He had grown stronger and faster after learning to catch up to his great uncle, and hero, Great Uncle Ford.

Mabel ran towards him, suitcases flying, arms spread, a smile big enough to be seen in the cosmos.  Dipper threw the poster behind him and let Mabel Jump on him.  He caught her at first, but spun around and fell on the dusty dirt road.

"Ugh Mabel-"

"DIPPERDIPPERDIPPERAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" Mabel screamed at the top of her lungs, hugging Dipper and sitting on his lap.

"Mabel get up you're choking me!" Dipper whispered.  Mabel quickly got up, and after laughing like crazy people, the two twins awkward sibling hugged for the first time in what felt like ages.

"Mabel, hambone!" Soos yelled, running towards them.  He struggled to run while holding the poster.  Mabel could get a good look at it before he tripped and fell on it.

After getting up, Soos exclaimed "Did you...see it...see...it says...Welcome Back???" trying to catch his breath.

"Yeah Soos I did, it's awesome! Going over my bed for sure." Mabel chuckled, picking up the sign.  It did indeed say "Welcome Back???" in big blue letters, with big explosions in the background and a tiger head.

"I'll go tell your Grunkles you're here then!" Soos beamed, proud of his work, and ran into the house.

"Ready to venture out into the unknown?" Dipper asked, extended his arm out to her.

"Let's do it." Mabel said, and arm in arm they walked into their home.

 

 

"So what's the d-low around this joint? What's everyone up to these days?" Mabel asked, sitting on her bed upside down, with her head on the floor, her feet on the ceiling, and her beloved pig, Waddles, on her lap.

 Dipper, book in hand, pen in mouth, answered "Oh ya know, normal stuff.  Soos comes by often, Wendy comes once in a while and we hang out, Pacifica-"

"Wait, once in a while?" Mabel sat up attentively, "Doesn't she work at the Shack?" She knew something was fishy but didn't think Ford would have...

"Oh. Uhh..." Dipper said, his face pale.  He wiped the sweat from his forehead, and nervously chewed on his pen too hard, making it explode in his mouth.  Wiping ink from his mouth, he answered "Oh, um, about that, uh, Ford he, uh, I mean-"

"Spit it out broseph what's up?" The smile was gone from her face.

"Uh, Stan and Ford closed the shack."

"say WHAT NOW?!?!" Mabel screamed, her amazing pig flying from her lap, "WHY???"

"Well uh," Dipper started "It's Ford's house, and he thought-"

"So it was Ford who did it then," Mabel said, her eyes glued to the floor.  She had hoped that Stan and Ford would make up, how hard could it be?  But this was something out of her control, which made her even angrier.

"Mabel it'll be okay," Dipper said, sitting next to his sister on her bed, thinking of what to say next.  He put his arm around his sister, "At least we don't have to work all summer?"

"Yeah, but, this place just like, won't be the same ya know?" Mabel whispered, obviously upset.

"Hey, why don't you call Candy and Grenda? You guys can have a sleepover if you want?" Dipper hoped this would make her feel better.

"Really?!" Mabel cried, "Well what about you?"

"I'll be fine.  Besides, I don't want to miss the party."

"OMG THANK YOU SO MUCH DIPPER!" Mabel shrieked, jumping off her bed, grabbing her phone, and running down the hallway.

Dipper sat back, satisfied with his job, as he heard Mabel scream "Girls! Co-ed sleepover tonight! Dipster is gonna party with us!" and Grenda's loud scream, echoing through the room as if it had really been on speaker mode.


	3. Secrets, Secrets Are No Fun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll try and get another chapter during the week but I might not be able to (school and all). So just expect more next weekend.

_Summer 2014: Age 14_

 

Wringing out her hair, Mabel stepped out of the shower and slipped into some comfy sweats. She had just spent the day at the pool with Candy and Grenda. She even invited Pacifica, and they had a lot of fun together. She asked Dipper if he wanted to come, but he rejected. He was going out to mystery-hunt or whatever with Ford.

Walking into their room, Mabel sighed to herself as she looked at Dipper. His hat was on backwards, pulling his hair back, with a journal in one hand and typing on a laptop with the other. His bed was covered in papers: drawings, thoughts, crumpled, straight, new, old, they were everywhere. 

"Yeesh, haven't seen this much paper since finals week!" Mabel exclaimed. She remembered that scarring week of tests, the vigorous studying. And it didn't help that the smart twin lived several miles away.

"Yeah, yeah, real funny Mabel" Dipper cracked, a small smile on his face, his eyes never leaving the screen.

"Will you finally tell me  **what** you're doing?" Mabel pleaded, dropping to her knees for effect. 

She really meant it though. Dipper surprisingly didn't share everything with Mabel this year. He sometimes, upon being asked, would say he spotted a whatever or got a sample of something or other. But Mabel knew he must've done more, considering how often he was out in the forest with Ford. But Mabel would never tell how she felt because Dipper because seemed happy, so she guessed she was too.

"Ummm, I don't know," Dipper stuttered, "Ford said it's top-secret so,"

"So secret that you can't share it with your best friend?"

Shots fired, Dipper thought.  He paled for a moment, not knowing how to answer. 

Mabel didn't get an answer, so she kept going, "Just remember, **we** are the original Mystery Twins.  And if something is so secret that you can't share it with **me,** your twin, then Dipper I'm worried about you."

Dipper was shocked. Truly, he was.  He had practically forgotten all that he and his sister had been through, what they witnessed, the secrets that tore their family apart.

"Wellllll," he hesitated, "I guess it wouldn't hurt to tell  **you**."

Mabel squealed with excitement and snuggled next to Dipper while he clicked through a few tabs on his computer.

"So do you remember the UFO that Ford and I found 2 years ago?" Dipper asked.  Mabel shuttered, remembering finding the walkie-talkie and listening to Ford and Dipper's talk, every single word.  She almost puked when she heard Dipper say he would stay.  But Mabel kept her mouth shut and nodded.

"And you know how this town is, uh, weirdness central?"

"Duh."

"Well, we figured out that the UFO's radioactive energy caused all of the anomalies! And I figured it out myself! I thought about it, and asked Ford if my hypothesis was possible, and when he tested it I was right!  Man you should've seen the look on Ford's face he was so proud-"

Dipper was right, Mabel **should've** seen the look on Ford's face.  She should've heard Dipper's thoughts and help him discover them.  She should've given Dipper a pep talk before taking his theory to Ford.  She should've been there. Shoulda, coulda, woulda, but she wasn't.  And Dipper didn't want her either.

"Wow, neato!" Mabel cheered, putting a smile on her face, "So what's your plan?" She dreaded his answer, hoping he wouldn't say he needed more evidence down there, or worse, he would work down there in his new-

"We're gonna turn it into a new lab!"

Dang it, Mabel thought. Just what she needed,  Dipper going underground all day with his hero and Mabel staying alone all day with her Waddles.

Dipper was about to go on, when his phone buzzed. He picked it up and saw a message from Pacifica. Mabel peeked just enough to see her contact name.

"Pacifica? Since when do you talk to Pacifica?" Mabel questioned, her eyebrows raised and eyes focused.

"Okay first of all, don't read my phone over my shoulder," to which Mabel pouted, "and secondly, we're, uh, kinda going out?"

____________

Meanwhile, Soos was outside fixing the porch. He didn't work at the Shack, of course, but Stan always hired him to tie up loose ends around the house, like fixing this step that wouldn't stop creaking. Suddenly, he heard an ear piercing scream come from just above him.

"AH! HYENAS!" And with that he ran off, arms flailing, never once thinking that scream could have come from a 14 year old girl.

____________

"It's not that big of a deal Mabel, take a chill pill-"

"DIPPER! PACIFICA! AH! YOU! HER! MY BROTHER! I'M FREAKING OUT!" Mabel shrieked, hugging Dipper, running around in circles, jumping for joy. Her awkward, sweaty, impressionable twin brother had a girlfriend!

"Seriously, how much Mabel juice did you drink?"

"All of it!" Mabel sang, arms spread as she plopped onto her bed and put her head in her hands. "Spill it, half-pint. Tell me everything."

"Ouch Mabel," Dipper chuckled, "Jeez I don't know, I've been busting ghosts and other monsters on her property, and she's been tagging along," he said, rubbing his neck awkwardly but he had a smile on his face, "I guess we got really close."

"Dude I might die of cuteness." Mabel stated, acting serious, "So does that mean I'm the maid of honor?"

"Mabel!" Dipper said, embarrassed but laughing as he threw a pillow at her.

They just laughed and laughed for a while, something they hadn't done in almost a year, until Mabel's phone rang. It was Wendy.

"Aw man! I forgot, I'm supposed to go to Wendy's tonight!" Mabel exclaimed, racing to get her jacket and bike helmet. She stopped in her tracks and turned around. "Hey, I know you're busy, but, um, want to come with me? We're watching old movies like you used to do."

Dipper looked up, and for a second, just a split second, felt a pang of sadness deep in his chest. He hadn't hung out with Wendy, his first crush and loyal friend, since the beginning of last summer. But he remembered his mission and shook whatever he was feeling away.

"Nah I'm looking for something with Ford tonight." He answered, focusing back on his journal.

"Oh, okay," Mabel muttered, knowing what his answer would be but disappointed, "See you later then." And with that she was out the door.

Dipper was alone now. He sighed and got back to his research. He hated being alone. He always felt watched.

The room was darker now. Red and orange light shown through the triangle window, illuminating the room with a reddish tint. The house was still now. And for a split second, Dipper heard nothing before he heard maniacal laughter and his stalker changed his mind to gray.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed it so far, because it's all going downhill from here.


	4. The Little Things That Get to Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ford and Stan fight about Mabel and Dipper, and Mabel walks in on it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MILD LANGUAGE: VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.  
> I'm sorry you had to wait so long for this chapter. I had serious writer's block all week. This chapter isn't as strong, but it's getting better. Hard first fic is hard.

_Summer 2015: Age 15_

 

"Mabel, hurry UP!" Grenda yelled, well at her normal tone, as she and Candy sped ahead of her.  They were riding home from the bowling alley, and decided to turn it into a race.  Candy and Grenda rode a 2-seater, and Mabel rode her bike down the dust path.

"Oh no you don't!" Mabel grunted, riding faster and past them until she jumped off her bike, mid-riding, and rolled into the bushes as her bike crashed into the old shed.

"No fair," Candy panted, out of breath, "You had Mabel juice, I can tell."

"Candy!!" Mabel cried, pretending to be offended, "The very thought!"

The three laughed for a while before Candy and Grenda continued on the path towards their house.  Mabel picked up her bike, now tame, and threw it into the shed.  She went around to the back door, and heard the vending machine slam shut.  Mabel hoped that Ford had gone down there so she could hang out with Dipper and Stan.

The truth was, Mabel had barely seen Dipper this summer.  When she first came this summer, he was out in the woods with Ford and not there to greet her.  No hugs, no posters, no nothing.  He didn't even come back until 10:00 that night, and Mabel was asleep.  And she barely saw him the next day.  She was glad she had some friends to keep her company, otherwise she'd be practically alone this summer.

When she walked in, she heard Stan's stern voice.  And Ford's, so Mabel figured it was Dipper who had gone into the basement.  She stopped when she heard Ford yell, and just stood in the doorway, and listened.

"You see what you're doing to those kids?!" Stan yelled.

"I'm not doing anything!  Dipper is happy and is finally doing something he was meant to do!"

"And Mabel hasn't seen him practically all summer!"

"Exactly! Dipper's finally doing something worthwhile without Mabel dragging him down!"

That did it. That pushed it too far. Mabel's eyes started to water as she laid her back gingerly against the door.

"Mabel has nothing to do with Dipper being a bad brother!"

"And neither do I!"

"Ford, you're not listening to me, they're children! They're gonna turn out like you and me if we don't do something soon!"

"Dammit Stanley!" Ford growled, pounding his hand on the table, "Why do you have to bring you and me into every argument?"

"Because Dipper is drifting away! He's doing the same thing to Mabel that you did to me!"

"Well it's not my fault you and Mabel are so-"

"Hang on, Mabel?" Stan asked, his voice softer.

 _Crap,_ Mabel thought, as her door slightly creaked. She turned around and pushed the door fully open to her uncles.

They both stared at her. Stan looked older and broken, Ford's face was cold and showed no emotions, if any.  Mabel felt small.  Her hands clasped, head lowered, all brightness gone as she looked up at Stan and Ford.

Softly, searching for words, Stan muttered, "Mabel, honey, I uh-"

"How long have you been standing there?" Ford questioned, blankly.

Mabel didn't answer, instead, she just glued her eyes to the floor.  Stan, awkwardly, said "Just, um, how about you go upstairs?"

Mabel quickly ran out of the kitchen and up the stairs, her steps light.  Stan didn't look at Ford as he ran up the stairs following her.  After all that he had done to Stan before, he had never hated Ford as much as he did then.

* * *

Mabel ran down the hallway, wiping tears she wouldn't dare shed, and slammed her bedroom door behind her.  She ran to her photo album, and angrily tore it open.  She took out a picture from her second summer.  They were only 13 then, beaming, with their favorite handyman holding a sign that said "Welcome Back???".  A cool, red headed teen stood nonchalantly grinning, and 2 older men stood behind them.  One was smiling widely, the young girl on his shoulder, the other grinning, a generic smile on his face.

She hated the picture more than ever now.  She ripped the picture in half and threw the 2 fragments behind her.  She ran through page after page, looking for her pictures from that memory-filled first summer.  But the color was gone from them.  They didn't make her feel better, she sensed no emotion.  She turned the pages over and over, hoping for them to blossom in her mind like they used to.  They would splash across her vision, like a painting, and fill her world with happiness. But they were motionless, dead.  She threw the book down and felt herself start choking on her tears.  But she wouldn't shed them because she was done with crying.

Suddenly, there was a soft knock at her door. She didn't get up, instead she looked at her bed, now messy, and kept her back turned.

"Mabel?" Stan whispered, softly rapping his knuckles against the door.

"Stan?" Mabel uttered.

Stan took this as a halfhearted welcome, and quietly opened the door.

Mabel looked younger, by 4 years. She sat with her legs folded under her on her bed. She shook slightly but didn't make a sound. She had a soft pink scrapbook in her lap, laying limp. Her face wasn't visible, her tangled hair spilled over her shoulders.

"Hey," Stan said, hesitant to sit next to her, so he stood, "I'm sorry you had to hear that."

"You know I hate it when you two fight," Mabel mumbled, her back to Stan.

"I know." Stan sighed, "But I love you too much not to fight for you, and all the stuff that Ford said is not true."

Mabel's head lowered. A tear slid down her cheek, but she quickly wiped it away.

"What's this?" Stan asked, picking up the torn picture off of the floor. Mabel looked down, feeling guilt creep up on her. "Want me to fix this?" Mabel nodded as she reached for a roll of clear tape and handed it to Stan. 

Stan took awhile, fumbling with the tape and making snide remarks like " Where's a handyman when you need him!" in an attempt to make Mabel smile. 

When he finished, he placed the picture in her hands, and looked her in the eyes, "Be careful, it's fragile." He winked as Mabel softened and placed the picture on her bedside table.

Stan, humbled, sat down next to Mabel, and once she laid her head on his shoulder, he continued, "Nothing is your fault. Dipper leaving isn't your fault. Ford saw himself in Dipper, like I see myself in you."

Mabel looked up at her great uncle. He was looking out blankly, obviously thinking. He tightened his grip on Mabel. 

Mabel didn't hold herself back this time. She violently cried into Stan's arm. Stan alarmed, grabbed Mabel and embraced her, letting her sob into his chest.

"It's alright, it's okay," Stan whisper in between sobs, "Just let it out."

Mabel felt powerless crying into Stan, sitting on her bed in the huge, empty room.  She felt even worse that Stan compared himself to her. To Mabel, she was the lesser twin. The one that was smart, but not as smart as her brother. Her parents didn't beam and boast about her achievements like they did about him. 

And Stan was right. Stan was like her, in every way possible. From their need for fun to the spark in their matching chocolate eyes.  And Stan was as prideful as her,but scaled down to size when compared to Ford. She knew that, Stan was used to it his whole life, so why was she so upset?

"I'm sorry your family did what they did to you."

"Eh, it's okay kiddo," Stan whispered, rubbing Mabel's arm,

"Why does Ford hate me?" Mabel asked, her voice scratchy

"You wanna know somethin?"

Mabel looked up, her face flushed, her eyes red.

"We are special. We're special because people think we're silly. But we are stronger than them. We have a backbone. Bedazzled by you."

"I'm not that great Stan. Dipper's got everything. He doesn't need me anymore, and he was my best friend, and-" Mabel struggled through tears, hyperventilating, as Stan calmed her down, "and I'm not the same any more. How can I make you proud if the only person that made me proud of myself isn't here anymore. I want to hate Dipper but I can't, he's too happy. Ford, he, he didn't mean to, but, he took Dipper away." She was about to cry again but Stan hushed her.

"Don't make me get soft for ya, kid. Cheer up!" Stan replied gruffly, making Mabel smile as she wiped her eyes with her damp blue sweater.

"Ford and I may not get along, but that don't bother me much.  I got you, kiddo! And you trust me more than I think I trust me.

You're holding this family together, that's your duty." Stan said, as if he were placing the fate of the world on Mabel's sunken shoulders, 

"So if you're there for Dipper, make Ford see what he's missing, and do what you do best, make me happy, then I'll do the same for you.

"Deal?" Stan held out his hand, making the most sincere deal he'd ever made.

"Deal."  Mabel said, not hesitating to shake hands with the ex-conman. She smiled, now with happy tears, as she and Stan sat on her bed.  They sat together for a while, like Mabel used to hold young Dipper if he had bad dreams.

They held each other until Stan hoisted himself up from the bed, grabbed the abandoned golf club in the corner.

"C'mon, let's put these bad boys to good use." Stan cheered, tossing a club to Mabel while nearly taking out a lamp.

And together they played. They played for hours and hours, those twins that weren't each other's.

"Now try to get some rest, ya nuisance," Stan said, beaming at Mabel's better attitude, after she had beaten him 4 times.

"Okay, I'll try." Mabel sneered with a smile on her face. Stan chuckled as he softly closed the door.

Mabel sat on her bed, and was content for a moment. But then it started again. She fell back onto her bed, eyes wide, as tears welled up in her eyes. She covered her ears with a pillow and stared at the taped picture of a broken family, as she tried to drown out her uncle screaming at her other with uncle whom she was supposed to be there for.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Brace yourselves for the next chapter folks.


	5. Black, White, Blue, Red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry

_2016: Age 16_

 

"Don't do it! You have so much to live for!"

"Don't do it, don't do it man..."

Mabel and Wendy laughed as the cheap actress opened the closet and got eaten by a poorly costumed monster.  Every Tuesday this summer, Mabel had gone over to Wendy's to watch old '50s horror movies.  It was probably 9:30, the inky black sky splattered with a few stars.

Mabel always invited Dipper, but of course he said no.  Just today, Mabel walked down the stairs with a skip in her step, eager to escape her grunkles and hang out, when she saw Dipper by the door, a bag over his shoulder.

Quickly Mabel ran down the stairs after him, "Hey, Dipper, wanna go-"

"Gotta go, bye-" Dipper hollered, his words cut off by the slamming door. Mabel knew he would have said no, but she stuck her tongue out slightly and rubbed her nose, hit by the door.

-

This wasn't abnormal either.  Dipper acted like a middle schooler being asked how school was:

"Where did you go?"

"I don't know."

"Did you find anything cool?"

"I don't know."

"Did you and Ford catch something?"

"I don't know."

"Am I still your best friend?"

"I don't know, CRAP! I mean, uh-"

-

"Uh Mabel, wake up dude."  Wendy said, shoving Mabel off of the bed.  Mabel yelped as she rolled onto the floor with a large thud.  She reached over the bed and grabbed a handful of popcorn to throw at Wendy.

"So, what did I miss?" Mabel sighed, shaking kernels out of her soft brown curls.

"Well, the hot guy died,"

"What?! NO! Bradley!" Mabel shrieked, dropping to her knees.

"Oh come on, it was obvious," Wendy shrugged, turning the volume up, "He was dumber than a doorknob."

"One second, why is Dipper texting me?" Mabel grumbled, pulling her cellphone out.

 _come home please,_ it said,

"Who does he think he is?" Mabel exclaimed, feeling her face grow hot.

"Well, maybe he wants to hang out,"  Wendy said, looking down.  She used to hang out with Dipper during the school year, but Dipper had stopped coming over last year, and she hadn't seen him since.  She was angry, but also felt sorry for his sake, "I'm sure he gets lonely without you."

"Lonely?  If he were lonely, I would see him more than twice a week."  Mabel muffled, her head down and her face smothered by the blankets.

Wendy was quiet for a moment, searching for words to reassure Mabel and herself, "Well, I guess he doesn't know how to ask you.  I mean, he's your brother, he'll come around."

"I don't know,"  Mabel whispered, her voice muted by the old fuzzy carpet, "I hope so-"  She was cut off by her phone buzzing again.

_mabel this is serious we need u home now_

"Wow, Dipper neeEEDDdss ME." Mabel groaned, sarcastically waving her arms around, amusing Wendy, "Well, I guess I must come to his Royal Highness's request."

" 'kay, see you soon."  Wendy chuckled, grabbing Mabel's helmet for her.  She opened the door, and stretched her hand out, like a concierge.  Mabel gave her a high five, and slammed the door shut with a dramatic exit.  She laughed as Wendy threw popcorn out the window at her and pedaled away, her hair blown behind her.

Mabel wasn't really supposed to ride her bike at night.  Her parents had forbid it, but Stan was cool and it wasn't like she was being supervised 24/7.  She actually liked it, the wind was brisk and cooler than riding midday.  She looked up at the night sky.  It was as if she painted it herself, a sharp black with little holes peeping through.  She loved the feeling of the moon illuminating her path, until it was outshown by different lights.

Blue lights.  Red lights.  Blue and red flashing lights.

 

* * *

 

Mabel's stomach dropped as her bike neared the dirt path leading to the Shack.  Even with the tall pines blocking her view, light seeped through the openings.  She quickly turned the corner, and almost run over a police officer.

"Hey! You can't come down here!" The officer growled,  his eyes cold and menacing.  Mabel almost yelped and would've karate chopped him if she hadn't controlled herself.

"I-I-I live here,"  Mabel stuttered, avoiding eye contact, "W-What is going on?"  She picked up her bike and went around him, running towards the house.  Her heart stopped as she dropped her bike.

"Hey!  Easy with the hands!"  Grunkle Stan yelled.  A tall SWAT team officer had both of Stan's arms.  They were everywhere; 2 at every door and even more guarding the entire area.  Dipper was by the porch, talking to 3 men in suits.

"Grunkle Stan!"  Mabel screamed, running towards him.  She screamed as the man holding Stan violently slammed him against the car hood, putting handcuffs on him.

Men surrounded Stan, all with big guns on their shoulder.  Frightened, she ran towards Dipper instead.

"Dipper? What is going on?"  Mabel cried, her voice shaky.  Dipper stood tall with 3 men next to him.  Dipper was about to explain, but the man in the middle cut him off.

"I'm Agent Wherton," he said, pulling out a badge as he motioned to the men to his left and right. "This is Agent Fardley and Agent Hygonson.  We're here to take Stanford Pines into custody."

"But why?!?"  Mabel pleaded, looking to Dipper for an answer, but once again Agent Wherton stepped in.

"We've been looking for your uncle for years, for, er, various crimes," he exclaimed, eyeing the 2 teens.

"Looks like your uncle's crimes finally caught up to him."

Mabel stepped forward, her eyes desperate, "But you can't send him away! He-"

"Hey, watch it!" Agent Hygondson demanded in a stern tone, pushing Mabel away with the tip of his shotgun.

Dipper stepped forward, grabbing Mabel's wrist, "Hey, don't touch my sist-"

"We gotta go. Fardley, send everyone out.  And take Pines over there to ADX prison in Colorado."  Wherton commanded, whistling and walking off the porch towards the government vehicle.

Hand in hand, Mabel led Dipper over to the car.  Stan was being shoved into the back, both by hand and by gunpoint, until he was surrounded by guards in the back.

"I'm sorry kids," was all Stan could say before Mabel broke free, running into the house.  She ran through the halls, crying out loud and gasping for air.  She reached her room and tore it apart, and grabbed what she needed.

Running back down, she passed the picture frames on the wall.  They were pictures of Dipper, Mabel, Stan, their parents, and friends, looking happy.  It was a perfect picture, but it was ruined tonight, hidden by posed smiles and hugs.  It was all over, she knew her family had fallen apart as she brushed past one, knocking it down with an ear-piercing shatter.

By the time she reached the truck, they were about to drive away.   But Mabel yelled and pushed, and eventually made it up to the front of the truck beside her brother.  Her face was pale, with red blotchy cheeks stained by tears.  She cried out loud, with heart-breaking hics and breaths.  She handed a pink memory-filled scrapbook to an officer, who turned it around, leafed through it, and handed it to Stan.

"Don't forget us, okay?"  Mabel whimpered, her chocolate brown eyes meeting Stan's.

"How could I, kiddo?"  Stan asked, as the officers shut the doors, and drove off, a cloud of dust following them.  The police officers drove off after, filing into their cars and driving off.

The lot seemed as large as the moon, and Mabel felt as if she was there, alone.  She dropped to her knees, staring at the dirt road, needing answers, needing comfort, needing Dipper.

At that moment, Dipper approached her, lost for words.  He simply put his hand on her shoulder as she broke down to tears.

"DIPPER!" a gruff voice yelled from inside, and with that, the sense of Dipper's hand on her shoulder was gone.

"What are you doing?"  Mabel squeaked, her eyes never leaving the ground.

"A lot just happened Mabel.  Ford and I gotta talk about it."  Dipper said, about to leave again.

"So you're just going to leave me here?"  Mabel asked, ready to cry again.

Dipper felt conflicted, "I,-"  when Ford called him a second time, more stern. "I-I gotta go."  And he ran inside, almost at a sprint.

Mabel felt the tears well up her eyes, but she slammed them shut.  And as soon as she heard the vending machine slam from inside, she screamed as loud as she could into the night.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I know I'm terrible. I'm super busy so I probably won't have another chapter out for 2 weeks. I've got a show soon and finals(sorry stuff happens). Hope you'll stick around for more!


	6. A Darkness Approaches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dipper's Chapter!!! I will have 2ish chapters from Dipper's POVish so please enjoy.

_2017: Age 17_

 

Dipper looked at himself in the silver ceiling-to-wall mirror. Aside from the bags under his eyes, he thought he looked rather decent.  He ran his hand through his hair roughly, trying to fluff it after being flattened with gel. He felt a soft tap on his shoulder and turned around and looked at Pacifica.

Dipper sighed, looking his girlfriend up and down. She laughed as she tucked her curled blonde hair behind her ear, twisting it.

Pacifica had changed, humbled after knowing Mabel and Dipper and them saving her on multiple occasions. And while her parents were still snobby and rich, they accepted Pacifica and didn't push her around anymore.

They now stood in Pacifica's dressing room, adorned with red curtains and a wide array of picture frames adorned with gold leaf.  But instead of the large paintings on her ancestors, they were filled with pictures of Pacifica with Dipper, Mabel, Grenda, Candy, and her other friends. Pacifica grabbed a tie and, straightening it out, walked over to Dipper.

"Well this is a blast from the past, huh?" Pacifica chuckled, to which Dipper grinned. He looked at Pacifica's deep mahogany colored gown, and felt more at ease. He'd come every so often, at least twice a year, to bust some ghost or monster or other, but this time, things were off.  The way the house was still, no liveliness, things were dark.  The last time he came to the Northwest's Shindig Ball Soirée, he was almost scared to death by a lumberjack ghost.  But after all he had seen these past years, he knew the cards were stacked against him.

The people, the beings, the demons.  They all want revenge and he knew it.

"Yeah, good times," Dipper chuckled as Pacifica tied a tie around his neck.

"Good times?  I had nightmares until I was 15!" Pacifica shuttered, rolling her eyes.

"So what are we dealing with today anyway?"

"I don't know, some spirit thingy, look Dipper we gotta-"

"Oh spirits, that's easy! You and I have stopped them a bunch." Dipper sighed, squeezing Pacifica's hands as they opened the large golden doors and started down the hallway. "You have that anointed water I gave you right?  We might have run out of it from last time but I have some-"

"Dipper!" Pacifica exclaimed, pulling her hand away from his, "We-we need to talk."  Fear shown in her eyes as they darted to the paintings just over Dipper's head, adorned with triangles.

"What's up?" Dipper asked, turning around to look at the paintings.  There were rows upon rows of portraits, landscapes, but they were, off. 

"Look, um, my dad and-"  Pacifica stopped in her tracks.  They were in in a large corridor, large ceiling to floor paintings hung from the walls.  She was ice cold.

"W-we shouldn't be doing this we need to get out." 

Dipper grabbed her arm as she tried to get out.  He looked her in the eyes, trying to calm her down but proved unsuccessful,

"Now, what's going on?"

"Well, it's just, **him-** "

Dipper's blood turned cold, and he froze as he noticed it on every painting. Triangles, eyes, blood.

"Paz. Run."

Pacifica nodded, and they took off for a mad sprint down the hall.  The paintings on the walls glowed, every eye turning red with a black slits.  They cackled into Dipper's ears, and he had to cover his ears. 

_Keep running Dipper! Keep running!_

_Ooh better watch over Pacifica, she's falling behi-_

"Pacifica! Where are you?!"

"Right behind you!" Pacifica shouted, slashing through the paintings with her heels in hand.  With a loud rip, the eyes disappeared leaving a blank canvas with a large gash in the middle.

_I'm right behind you!_

_Uh oh, your shoes untied!_

Dipper threw his shoe at a painting and took out his jackknife. With each slice, he got a second of relief from the ear piercing shouts.

Pacifica slashed through one more painting.  Halfway through it, her shoe glowed and stayed frozen in place.  Pacifica struggled to remove it, when she herself glowed.  Struggling, she called for Dipper but no words came out as her eyes rolled backwards and she became frozen.

_Poor Mabel! She will-_

Dipper slashed through the last painting as he heard Bill scream.  "Show yourself Bill!"

At that moment, the blank canvases turned red, and the rips focused on him, looking like Bill's eyes.

_You're impressive kid, your girl over there too._

Dipper didn't even notice Pacifica, her dress ripped, her body frozen mid-sprint, eyes white.

"Let her go or else!" Dipper cried, his voice hard as he chucked his knife at the largest painting like a boomerang.  It was frozen in midair.

_Okee Dokie, Pine Tree!  I'll just take Shooting Star instead!_

"W-Wait, that's not what I-"

_See ya later Pine Tree! Duty calls!_

The paintings fixed themselves, the rips seamed together.  They appeared as pictures of Mabel, all of them.  Bill screamed much more, but he sounded more like Mabel.  Dipper watched in horror as Mabel shrieked in each one, burning to a crisp, normal painting. 

All was still for a moment.  Mabel's morbid screams rang in Dipper's ears, as he stared at the painting.  He heard a soft thud and turned to the corner, where Pacifica was dropped from Bill's forces to the floor.

Pacifica groaned, rubbing her head and pushing the hair away from her face.  She didn't even notice Dipper's jackknife turning and flying towards her.

"Pacifica!"

If Pacifica hadn't ducked, the knife would've gone right through her.  But she ducked in the nick of time as the knife went right through the wall.

"Paz, I-"

"Go." Pacifica sighed, standing up. 

"Be safe," Dipper said, embracing Pacifica before handing her the anointed water and sprinting home, hoping to find Mabel alive.

"You too," Pacifica whispered under her breath, her eyes never leaving Dipper's disappearing silhouette as she sprayed water all over.

It wasn't until she walked back into her room that she saw Dipper's jackknife, stuck in the wall, cutting a picture of Mabel, Dipper, and herself, right through the smiling brunette.

* * *

_She's not home, where is she?_

_She's dead._

_You should've been nicer_

_She should've been nicer_

_She was dragging you down_

 

_Please don't hurt her_

 

_Sorry Pine Tree!_

_It's not like you showed any love towards her anyways_

_Hey don't be mad at me!_

_Finders keepers_

 

_Losers weepers_

_I hope you like bonfires!_

 

 

 

 

 

 

_DIPPER!_

* * *

 

"MABEL!" Dipper screamed, jolting up and jumping up from his bed.  He jumped too high and fast as slammed his head into the attic ceiling.  His loud cursing woke Mabel up as he heard loud footsteps towards his door.

"Dipper?"  Mabel whispered, softly tapping her knuckles against the door, "You okay?"

There was no answer for about 5 minutes, so Mabel panicked and opened the door quietly.

And that's how she found Dipper: hunched into a ball in the corner of his bed.  His hair was a mess, his face sweaty and stained by, tears?  The black light was on and shining on the wall.  The splintered wood was covered by scribbles and many eyes with an X through them.  Mabel hoped she never would have to see those eyes again.

"What in the heck happened at that party?" Mabel asked, climbing onto Dipper's bed.  She noticed him holding a metal object, but when she reached to touch his shoulder, he cowered and shivered.  She pulled her hand back and apologized, startled.

He shook silently with no tears, so Mabel figured he'd had a night terror. About?

"Bad dream?" Dipper didn't answer, but he looked down at his lap, wincing as his eyes prickled with tears.

"Calm down," she whispered, she had always helped Dipper after nightmares when he was younger, but she figured this was more serious than anything they had dealed with together.

Dipper started hyperventilating as Mabel hushed.

"We're safe."

Her eyes darted to Dipper's neck, scarred.  She pulled back his shirt a little, and her heart stopped. Burn marks.

"What is this?" Mabel questioned, and Dipper started crying out loud. 

"Did he do it to you? Was it Bill?"

Dipper whipped around, grabbing Mabel's mouth, panic in her eyes.  His finger's covered her mouth, his thumb behind her ear. His hands were ice and his other arm shook.  He was holding a crossbow, aimed at **her**.

"Don't you dare say that name, don't ever, ever say it!" Dipper growled, through clenched teeth.  Mabel could get a good look at his face.  There were bags under his eyes, his eyebrows bushy and unkept.  His lips were dry and cracked, and his face was sickly pale.  His brown eyes were on fire, but at the same time, colorless.  Then they changed to sheer terror, realizing what he was doing, and he quickly dropped Mabel.

"Get out," Dipper muttered, his back once again to Mabel, his head down so you couldn't see his face.

"Dipper,"  Mabel stuttered, "I-I can help-"

"Your not safe here,"

"Just tell me-"

"I said get out!" Dipper shouted.

Mabel stumbled back, reaching for the doorknob and ran down the hall, leaving Dipper curled into a ball, sitting in the triangle moonlight like the scared 12 year old he had once been.

 


	7. Back to the Shack

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got the journal 3 a few days ago and I died of Feels disease. Y'all people wanting to know what's under Ford's sweater will be surprised.  
> BUY IT TO UNLOCK ALL SECRETS AND AREAS OF YOUR HEART YOU DIDNT KNOW COULD BREAK.
> 
> Also I am very sorry. I had very bad writer's block, and I wasn't happy with this chapter. I've also been very busy and couldn't get around to it. Expect more updates soon.

2018: Age 18

 

There's nothing Mabel loves more than sitting on the roof and watching the summer sunset.  Of course, she'd rather be up there with her family, friends, and Waddles, but a Pitt cola was all she'd be able to obtain at the moment.  She came up there to clear her head often, get a break, take a breather, bathe in the orange cream light and cotton candy colored clouds.  And lately, she needed it often.

She was awakened from her rest by an ear-piercing boom from inside the house.  Blue light seeped through every window, crack, and crevice of the house and the house shook.  Mabel shuttered and dashed down the ladder to the Shack.  Looking around, it didn't seem like the house was in shambles.  Literally, at least.

She jumped when the vending machine burst open and Dipper dashed past her, colliding as Dipper kept going.

Dipper turned around at Mabel while he was still running, "Mabel!"

"Sorry!"  Mabel yelped, startled as she almost tripped over a box.  Regaining her balance, she looked up and saw Ford run past her, his supernatural gun in hand.  Mabel quickly ran to the doorway, leaning against it as she squinted into the distance.  She watched as Dipper and Ford ran into the forest, their silhouettes shrinking as they became engulfed in green and brown. 

Sighing, she walked back into the house, flopping onto the couch and opening her textbook.  She grumbled as she angrily took notes, her feet swinging over the edge of the worn armchair.  She hated work, especially when she already got into school, enrolled for college in the fall.  She especially hated not getting any of the content (she was going for Graphic Design, with a minor in the Arts, but was required to slave over math summer work) with nobody to help her.

Dipper had enrolled in online tuition, allowing him to have graduated early, 2 years ago early.  Done with school, he headed out every morning, saving the town from its supernatural personality.  Their parents were proud, Ford was even prouder, and Dipper seemed content enough, when he wasn't in constant worry about something. 

Remembering what made her come downstairs, she pulled herself up, walked through the splintering wooden doors into the old Mystery Shack gift shop.

She had refused to go in there ever since Grunkle Stan was taken away, it made her feel small, lonely.  She stopped by the door, and being over come with emotion and nerves, quickly covered her eyes with her hand.

Feeling around with her free hand, everything had a thin blanket of dust on it.  She felt a pang of sadness when she touched a bobble head of the Man of Mystery herself, a hundred memories flowing in her mind at once. She rested her hand on the front desk, biting her lip when she felt her own sticker on the desk, soft and worn out on the edges.  Gathering strength, she opened her eyes slowly to look at the sticker.

It was the pink sticker Mabel had placed there 6 years ago, with shrinking blue edges and faded bubble letters spelling "Please".  Willing herself to turn around, she gasped as she eyed the rest of the room. She jumped up when blue light filled the room again, startling her.

After looking behind her, she creeped towards the vending machines, and with hesitant hands, entered the code she had tried to forget.

* * *

 

The staircase was all the same, but the elevator seemed different so she guessed Ford and Dipper had done some kind of renovation. Remembering the second floor was busted, back when she was younger, she pushed the button with the 3 on it.

Her stomach dropped with the elevator as she slowly moved down until the silver door slid open.  The room was littered with multiple desks, each filled with papers, what looked like invention prototypes, and blueprints. The desks were very different, however.  Three of them were somewhat vintage, looking very plain like a generic office desk, while the other two were sleeker, more modern.

Assuming these were Dipper's, she walked over and perused through. She lightened up noticing his sloppy handwriting, yet light-hearted notes in blue ink.  Looking towards the second desk, she allowed herself to smile at the pictures of the two next to his laptop and monitors. 

She turned slightly and knocked over a stack of blueprints. Silently cursing to herself, she bent down to pick up the scattered designs. 

She couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy, noting how scientific and intelligent his work seemed. 

When she picked up the pile, she eyed a crumbled up piece of paper in the corner of the desk.  Bending down to pick it up and uncrumple it, the page looked blank. Shaking her head (she knew her brother), she reached for the black light and turned it on.

Mabel screamed and dropped the light onto the floor. The page had a big eye in the center, all too familiar and terrifying. The whole page was eerily scribbled on,

" _ **He's** watching me"_

 

_"Can't sleep, **he's** here"_

 

_"Get out of my mind!"_

 

Picking up the light, Mabel shone it at the wall. There he was, a massive triangle with a crossed out eye in the center.

 

_"Better watch your back, Pinetree!"_

 

Mabel couldn't scream however, because she heard a voice from the small opening in the wall by the outside steps.

 

* * *

 

"Crap, crap crap crap crap..." Mabel whispered as she tiptoe-ran to the elevator, praying the elevator wouldn't make a loud noise.

When she reached the vending machine, she looked around, and seeing the coast was clear silently shut the door.

Walking into the TV room, she was startled to find Dipper sitting in the old armchair. The Ghost Harrassers theme song hummed from the TV, but he had a book in his hand and was writing something down. He looked up at her, glanced at the gift shop door, and back at her.

"Were you back there?" Dipper asked, locking eyes with Mabel. He had to go back there on most days, but he didn't really want to stop and look at it.

Mabel shuffled slightly, a little uncomfortable.  "Yes,"' she hoped that he meant the shop, and she hoped he didn't see her cheeks growing hot from nerves.

Dipper looked down to his lap, thinking, then turned again to write in his book.  Mabel awkwardly sat on the ottoman next to the chair, looking at the carpet but glancing up at Dipper out of the corner of her eye.

His eyes were baggy, for sure, but something was different.  They didn't glimmer like they used to when he wrote in the journals.  They looked almost sad, defeated.

"What's it like?"

"Huh?" Mabel looked up.  Dipper looked confused for a second, squinting his eyes as if to stare deep into Mabel's soul.

"What is the shop like?"  Dipper questioned. He would never tell Mabel that he tried not to notice it like she had done for the past years.

"Oh!" Mabel exclaimed, a little too loud, "Dusty," she answered awkwardly as she sat on her anxious hands.

Dipper grinned slightly and returned to his book.  Mabel's eyes were glued to the floor, looking for something to fill the silence.

"Hey, Dipper?"  Mabel cleared her throat.  Dipper didn't respond, he appeared to be staring at his journal, but he wasn't reading it.

"Dipper."  Mabel repeated, but still he said nothing. "Dipper!"

"Huh?" Dipper stuttered, snapping out of his thoughts, "Sorry, uh, w-what is it?"

"Dipper" Mabel said seriously, "If something were to, I don't know, uh, happen to you, you would t-"

Ford called his name, and Dipper shot up, startling Mabel.  Tucking his book under his arm and lowering his hat, he averted Mabel's eyes as he walked towards the shop.

"But Dipper-" Mabel said, but he had already walked through the door, trying to get to the vending machine while avoiding seeing the shop.

Mabel sighed and stomped up to her room, picking up her math homework on the way.

She ran up to the attic, flopping onto her bed and sulking as she pulled out her laptop and logged into Pinstagram.

Grenda was in Austria with Marius, and Candy was at a prestigious music camp.  Even Pacifica was in another country, and Wendy was in Portland for the summer.  Dipper, well, he was long gone.

Angrily, she crumpled up her papers and threw her textbook at the wall.  She collapsed back onto her bed, groaning into her pillow.  Despite what Dipper was going through, she decided that his problems, her problems, and the fact that she was completely alone, was his fault.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not happy with how this chapter turned out, so critiques are welcome. I needed it because the climax (I hope it will be strong though) will be in the next chapter. Again, sorry this sucked and sorry for taking so long.


	8. Fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Language in this chapter, just a warning.

_Summer 2019: Age 19_

 

Mabel brushed her now shoulder-length copper hair,returning her stare to a pair of chocolate brown eyes in the tall mirror.  She didn't really feel like she was going to be 20, so she felt nervous not knowing if she should.  She was going back to school on her birthday, so today, two days before, she was going to celebrate her birthday with her brother.

 At least, she was supposed to.

 Dipper and Ford had left 3 days ago for some trip or exploration, it's not like Mabel would know.  They said they would be back that morning, and Ford said he trusted her in the house, as long as nobody came over (it's not like any of her friends were town anyway).

 Mabel didn't think anything of them not home yet at first.  She just needed to sleep.  It wasn't until around noon, when they still weren't home, that she started nervously fidgeting with her custom sweaters. She'd nearly finished one, and the boys still weren't home.  Her stomach ached with worry as she sat by the window, wistfully staring into the afternoon sky

It was now 6:30 pm.  The summer sun was coming to a close, the sky a cascading ocean of orange.  She decided she could at least get ready, so she now stood in the bathroom, contemplating what she should do.  

Pulling out her cellphone, she scrolled down her contact list, in search for Dipper's name.  Frustrated, she just typed in his name and continued with her interrogation process.

 

**Mabel: when are you coming home?**

 

 _And now, I wait,_ Mabel thought as she sulked over to her room and flopped on her bed. Staring at the ceiling, she clutched her pillow, clinging to it for dear life.

The house was silent, save for the pitter patter of rain and hail on the old roof.  She dug her nails into her arms when she heard a clap of thunder, booming as it echoed through the room.  

Summer was coming to an end, which meant more storms and less time seeing her family.  Dipper and Ford always went out the most late August, which Mabel always wondered why.  It wasn't until the year before that she overheard Ford, speaking to Dipper, that their work was getting too grave, and must be hidden at all costs.  But she knew what he had meant.

The very thought of what case was so dire that Dipper couldn't share anything with her was unfathomable, which panicked Mabel even more.

Half an hour had past, and Mabel stared at her phone, empty.  Grumbling, she texted again, tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

 

**Mabel: this isnt funny, answer your phone, where are you**

 

It wasn't even 5 minutes before her phone buzzed again, and she jumped a foot in the air fumbling for it.

 

**Dipper: I'm doing something actually important Mabel**

 

She was lucky that her phone had a life-proof case, otherwise when she threw it at the wall it would've shattered.

She spent most dayswondering why Dipper woke up screaming, why he spoke solemnly and brushed off all questions, why she sat in the house alone some days, why she cried some nights when Dipper wasn't there.

That's when she snapped.  She couldn't keep quiet anymore.  All of these summers were Dipper's fault.

She stomped down the steps and into the kitchen.  Yanking the fridge door open, she grabbed the cake she had made and dumped it in the trash.

Entering the code into the vending machine, she ran down the steps, to the elevator.  She bit her lip hard as she sunk down 2 floors under the house. She dug the key into the safe and grabbed the crack in space time that she knew Dipper was obsessed with. She knew she shouldn't be here, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

And this was why she needed to go, she couldn't deal with keeping quiet in that empty house.

Shutting the vending machine door behind her, she bolted to the parlor, where she kept her schoolwork, and stuffed her new possession into her art bag .

She didn't even hear Dipper screaming her name.  She barely looked up when he walked in.

"Mabel, I've been calling you for over 15 minutes! What are you even doing in here?" He had almost forgotten this room and its old wax inhabitants.

Mabel looked at him, but didn't say anything.  

"Mabel, you texted me a hundred times, did you really text me to say nothing?"

"Oh, so I have to be in grave danger to see you now?"  Mabel looked up, eyes red, not caring enough to notice Dipper's dishevled ones.

"God, Mabel..." Dipper sighed, rolled his eyes as he started to leave.

"Dipper, get back here and listen me once for 5 seconds!"

Dipper turned back around, to face his sister, ready for whatever may happen.

"Can you listen to me just once? Once Dipper, out of this whole summer, I hope you're happy with yourself."

"Jeez, I don't have time for this, Mabel-"

"Yeah, you don't have time for anyone anymore. Me, Wendy, Mom and Dad, Pacifica-"

" **That's** none of your business-"

"Wait! Just let me finish once!" Mabel's eyes started to water, "What about Grunkle Stan?"

Dipper closed his eyes, back turned to Mabel, "What about him?"

"What do you mean 'What about him?'  He's family, and you practically forgot him!"

"He lied to us!" 

"You lied to us!" Mabel yelled, fists clenched, "You and Ford tossed us aside.  He gave Stan hell for so many years and now you are too! I visited him alone Dipper! You've ruined our lives-"

"Stan ruined our lives!" Dipper yelled, picking up Mabel's taped up picture of them and their uncles from on top the fireplace.

"Wait Dipper-"

" **He** ruined our lives!" And into the fire he threw the picture, catching flame as the tape melted to the firewood.

Mabel screamed as she slid down next to the fire, wiping tears from her face as Dipper ran out of the room and slammed the door.

 _He can't do this,_ Mabel thought, running after him as he walked to the vending machine.

Suddenly, she remembered something, and ran back to the parlor for her art bag.

"Wait!"  Mabel screamed as she caught to Dipper,

 

"I have the rift."

 

Dipper whipped around, eyes finally meeting Mabel's for the first time in ages.  They stood in front of the vending machine, Mabel's hand feeling for the doorknob, ready to run if the situation needed.

"Where did you get that?"

"Doesn't matter where I-"

"Yes it  **does!** " Dipper yelled, turning around fully, "Hand it to me!"

Dipper lunged forward, and grabbing Mabel, busted through the door.  Dipper reached for the rift in Mabel's hand, but Mabel held it out farther as they hit the dirt driveway.  She kicked him off of her, barely missing a powerful swing. Getting up, she started to run, but he got up and put his training to use.  He grabbed both of her arms, pinning her against a tree.

"It's like, all you-" Mabel kicked his stomach knocking him over.

"-care about-"

"Mabel, Mabel wait-"

"Is this stupid rift!"

"NO!"

 

If that damn rift hadn't been sealed, Dipper and Mabel's life, and the world would have shattered.  But the world was spared that night.

Dipper and Mabel, however, were not.

 

"Enjoy the cake, jackass"  Mabel yelled, hoping he would hear her from inside as she threw her bag into her car. She jammed her key into the old station-wagon, slammed her door shut, took a deep breath, and left.

Dipper watched from the window, angry.  His eyes widened as he turned around, running back to the parlor.  He frantically put out the fire and desperately searched the ashes, for anything remaining from that photo of the happy family.

But it was burnt to ash. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know, I'm terrible and haven't updated. No need to remind me, sorry!  
> I know I promised a happy ending, please suffer with me as I try to crank out the last 2 chapters, thanks.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Please comment, critique, criticize, whatever, I can take it. It means the world to me!


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